Jess' New Friend
by pinkcat4569
Summary: The newest member of the ARC is like Jess, a computer nerd, unfortunately he and Jess are getting along well. Written for holiday exchange, jealous Becker.


For moviefreak4634: Jealous Becker

Title: Jess' New Friend

Author: Pinkcat4569

Rating: G

Spoilers: No

Description: The newest ARC member like Jess, is a computer nerd. Unfortunately for Becker, he and Jess are getting along well.

Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval or characters.

Words: 1905

Pre-relationship

Jess' New Friend

Jess spoke in her comm, "Hi, lieutenant Vale. We have a new computer tech reporting for his first day. Could you bring him up? You're a sweetheart."

"Another geeky tech?" asked a young woman named Gloria.

"Gloria, you're a tech," said Jess.

Gloria smiled. "I know, but why can't we get more soldiers? I love to look at them. They're fit, with tight abs, and bulging biceps. Ooh, here comes one now."

Jess looked up and smiled. It was Becker.

"Alright, I agree with you about the soldiers," whispered Jess. In a normal voice she said, "You're giving in to a terrible stereotype. Techs do not have to be geeks."

"Of course not Jess," said Becker. "You're not a geek."

Jess smiled widely, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said with a smile, and a ready chocolate bar.

"Thank you," she said, taking the bar.

Becker smiled and went to a desk.

Gloria glared at Jess. "I hate you."

Jess smiled. "No you don't."

"I want to," said Gloria with a smile.

"Miss Parker?" asked Lieutenant Vale, "This is the gentleman you told us to watch out for, Malcolm Christopher."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," she said to the man in black. She then turned to the new arrival. "Hello," she said, holding out her hand to shake his, " My name is Jess Parker."

The man shook her hand and asked, "You're Mr. Lester's secretary?"

Becker stifled a laugh.

"No, I'm the field coordinator, but Mr. Lester asked me to take care of you."

"That was generous," said Christopher, looking Jess over and smiling.

Becker didn't like it. He glared at him.

"Let's get started Mr. Christopher," said Jess.

"By all means, but call me Colm."

Jess smiled. "If you call me Jess."

"I'll call you anything you like."

Jess smiled and blushed.

Becker stood up. "Jess, would you mind introducing us?"

"Of course not. Colm, this is Captain Becker. He's our head of security. He watches over us."

They shook hands. "Security is pretty tight here, Christopher, for your own sake, follow the rules and don't go out of bounds," said Becker, glaring at Christopher, and squeezing his hand.

"That's a strong grip you have there, Captain," he said with a chuckle, but wincing.

"Sorry, sometimes the Captain gets carried away, " Jess said, breaking the handshake and pushing Becker back. "Let me walk you through some of the basic security procedures, and get you a wristband and computer code."

Jess ushered Colm over to the ADD, and made a quick grimace at Becker.

Becker continued glaring at the new arrival. "I don't like him."

"That's cause you're a guy," said Gloria. "Believe me, he makes me eat my earlier words. He's gorgeous!"

"You think so?" asked Becker.

"Duh, that blonde hair, tight abs, the fit of those slacks. Arr."

Becker looked at Gloria. Did Jess think this Christopher was gorgeous too?

"Oh, forgot, Jess sent me over here with the EMD reports and a message."

"What message, Gloria?"

"Be nice."

Becker scoffed. "I don't think so," he muttered.

The day had been busy, not anomaly-related busy, but report, training, and drill busy. Becker had hardly seen Jess. It worried him. Was she still with that Christopher guy? He didn't like it or him.

Becker looked for her and found her in the locker room, talking, laughing, and sitting awfully close to Christopher.

He walked in, and to his horror, she didn't seem to notice him. She was completely captivated by a story Christopher was telling.

Jess never ignored Becker, never. This new addition was trouble. Becker seriously disliked him now.

"Oh, you're making that up," said Jess. "There is no way you wrote that much code in such a short time period."

"I did, Jess. I swear."

Jess giggled. "I love talking computers. Most people around here don't get my fascination, except maybe Connor. It's so refreshing to have someone new."

"I'm happy to talk about them with you anytime, anywhere, and anyplace," he said, leaning up closer.

"Jess!"

"What? Oh, hi Becker. When did you get here?" asked Jess.

Becker winced. She really hadn't noticed him. "A while. I need to talk to you, in private."

"Oh, OK. Sorry, Colm."

"No problem, Jess," he said. He turned to Becker. "Captain," he said with a smile.

Becker nodded, and escorted Jess from the locker room.

"What's up?" she asked.

"The new guy. Don't get too close."

"What?"

"I mean, until I have him thoroughly checked out."

"You're kidding," she said. "Becker, he's hired, so he's been through several security checks already."

"Not mine."

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

"Nothing. I just don't want you to get close, I mean, we don't know anything about him."

"Becker, I don't know anything about you."

Becker looked hurt. "That's not true."

"Besides the fact that you have an unhealthy attachment to guns, like prawn crackers, and have an overactive guilt complex, I know nothing about you. Wait, I do know one more thing, you're paranoid."

With that, she stomped her heels back to Christopher.

Becker stood alone in the corridor, in misery. Jess had had left to be with _him_.

The next morning Becker strolled to the ADD. He figured the best way to make up with Jess was to give her several bars of chocolate.

He was astonished by what he saw. Jess was eating yogurt.

"Since when do you eat that stuff?"

"Oh, hi! Colm reminded me that I should take better care of myself."

"You look fine to me," he said.

She smiled. "Thank you."

He blushed.

"Anyway, it's super good for you and I don't eat enough. From now on I'm going to eat healthier."

Becker felt stabbed in the heart. Not only did that harpoon the one thing they had that was theirs alone, Christopher was changing her.

"Are you alright?" she asked. "You're pale."

"Fine. I, uh... Later," he said and left in a hurry, hiding out in the armory, where he threw the chocolate away.

Becker immersed himself in his job. He stayed away from Ops. By lunchtime, he was feeling silly.

He decided to ask Jess to lunch, knowing that as soon as they were together, all his fears would melt away.

He was a few steps from her, when Lester appeared.

"I have a task for you," he said. "Come to my office."

Becker looked hopelessly at Jess, then followed Lester.

"We are about to have funding cuts. I want you to go to the committee meeting and explain, nicely but with a small amount of...persuasion, that not funding us would leave the country open to rather unpleasant things."

"Why me?''

"Obviously, because of your people skills. Go, intimidate them."

Becker sighed. It could all still be OK, he thought. He'd have a word with Jess, and ask her to coffee or something later.

But she wasn't at her desk, and he had to leave. He cursed all the way to the car park.

When Becker returned to the ARC, he found Jess at the ADD.

"Jess, do you have a second?"

"Quickly," she said, "I'm in the process of creating a new program. What is it?" she asked impatiently.

He opened his mouth but was interrupted by Christopher. "Hey, Jess. You were right. The code I wrote at lunch is all wrong."

She smiled. "Told you."

"You two had lunch together?"

Christopher answered him. "We tried this new vegetarian place. It was great."

"Oh," he said. Studying Jess face he asked, "Did you have fun?"

"Yes, I did. Becker, we should..." began Jess.

Her computer started making noises. "Shoot! Why did it do that? Colm, your second line of code is off too."

"It's fine. You must have done something."

"Yes, I did. I listened to you."

Becker watched them argue and work, creating a bubble around them that he couldn't get inside. For the second time that day, Becker sulked off to the armory. He cleaned gun after gun and wallowed in his misery. He was so into it that he didn't hear her come in.

"Becker?"

"Jess? What are you doing here?"

She smiled sweetly. "Looking for you," she said, sitting beside him on the bench. "You seem a little down today. Is anything wrong?"

Becker smiled. All she did was ask after his well-being, and he was grinning like an idiot. "No, nothing. I'm fine. Sorry to concern you."

"You did concern me, in fact, you scared me," she said, slapping him gently on the shoulder. "You're acting strange. I was worried sick." She put her hands on her hips and scolded him. "Where is my chocolate?"

He raised his eyebrows. "You don't want it anymore."

"Are you insane?" she asked in horror, making him laugh. "I will never not want chocolate! Where did you get that stupid idea?"

"From you. You were eating yogurt."

"So?"

"Jess, you said that you were eating healthy now."

Jess rolled her eyes. "I said I was eating healthier, Becker. I need chocolate. I love chocolate. I love you bringing me chocolate. I can't even think about not eating chocolate," she said with a shudder. "You're acting stupid."

Becker laughed. "Sorry. I guess I misunderstood."

"Obviously. Did you bring me chocolate?"

"Of course."

She smiled. "Where is it?"

"In the rubbish bin."

"Ah!" screamed Jess. "Are you raving? You don't ever, ever, throw chocolate away!"

Becker watched as she proceeded to rescue the chocolate.

"Don't look at me like that. First, there is nothing gross in the bin, just paper. Second, it's CHOCOLATE!"

Becker laughed and smiled. "I'm sorry."

"I don't forgive you."

"Not just for that."

"What?" she asked, then she got a horrible look on her face. "You didn't buy me shoes and throw them away too, did you?"

Becker laughed hard. "No, I didn't throw anything else away."

"Than what do you have to be sorry for?"

Becker blushed. "I thought you fancied Colm. It's OK...if you did. I guess."

"Captain Becker, get to medical at once. You're having a mental breakdown. I like Colm. I just met Colm. He's fun, and he's a living computer, like me. Why would I fancy someone like me? Yuck."

Becker laughed again. "Sorry. I'm mental."

"You are," she said. She looked at him, noticing relief across his face. Sitting back on the bench next to him she asked, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Will you answer honestly?"

He looked at her. "Yes."

"Were you jealous of Colm?"

Becker sighed. After a pause he looked at her and said, "Yes. I was."

She smiled widely. "I like that."

"Do you?" he asked with a smirk

"Yes," she said, leaning close to him. "I fancy...someone else."

"Tell me who," he whispered. They were very close now. "Truthfully," he said, staring at her lips.

"You."

He smiled in relief, and pulled her the last few inches toward him, and kissed her. He kissed her a long time. It was tender, loving, and literally breath-taking.

"I'm so glad...you did that," she said, gasping for air.

"So am I," he said.

"Will you do something for me Jess?" Becker asked.

"Anything," she said, her head leaning on his chest.

"Tell Colm that you're not available."

She smiled. "Gladly."

He smiled and they kissed again.

They didn't see the figure hanging just outside the armory. The young man sighed, shook his head, and sulked off to the ADD.

The End


End file.
